As our Managing Editor Jennifer Van Laar reported, Florida Senator Marco Rubio topped President-elect Donald J. Trump’s short list of candidates for Secretary of State.
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President-elect Donald Trump made a slew of announcements Monday regarding his selections for cabinet positions, and according to the New York Times he will appoint Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) as Secretary of State.
The outlet reported:
President-elect Donald J. Trump is expected to name Senator Marco Rubio of Florida as his secretary of state, three people familiar with his thinking said on Monday, as Mr. Trump moves rapidly to fill out his foreign policy and national security team.
Mr. Trump could still change his mind at the last minute, the people said, but appeared to have settled on Mr. Rubio, whom he also considered when choosing his running mate this year.
Despite some MAGA faithful outcry, the president-elect did not change his mind. The Trump-Vance transition team sent out Trump’s announcement.
🚨STATEMENT FROM PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP
Congratulations, @SenMarcoRubio! pic.twitter.com/0bC8UBctwp
— Karoline Leavitt (@kleavittnh) November 13, 2024
It is my Great Honor to announce that Senator Marco Rubio, of Florida, is hereby nominated to be The United States Secretary of State. Marco is a Highly Respected Leader, and a very powerful Voice for Freedom. He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries. I look forward to working with Marco to Make America, and the World, Safe and Great Again!
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As the son of Cuban immigrants, Marco Rubio’s story epitomizes the American Dream. His parents escaped Cuba to Florida, where his mother worked as a part-time hotel maid and his father as a banquet bartender. Rubio’s grandfather helped to shape his political worldview after seeing his country fall to Communism. In 1993, Rubio received his Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Florida and attained his JD from the University of Miami Law School in 1996.
In 1998, Rubio was elected as a West Miami city commissioner before being elected to the Florida House of Representatives in the early 2000s. Rubio served as Speaker of the state house from 2006 to 2008.
As part of a Tea Party wave, Rubio ran for United States Senate in 2010 and was elected to office. Rubio ran for president in 2016 against then-candidate Donald Trump and 14 other Republican candidates. Despite the adversarial beginnings to their relationship, Rubio has become a staunch ally and surrogate for President-elect Trump.
On accepting Trump’s nomination, Rubio issued this statement on X:
My statement on being nominated for United States Secretary of State by President-elect Donald Trump: pic.twitter.com/r6q3iaZF0G
— Senator Marco Rubio (@SenMarcoRubio) November 13, 2024
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Leading the U.S. Department of State is a tremendous responsibility, and I am honored by the trust President Trump has placed in me. As Secretary of State, I will work every day to carry out his foreign policy agenda. Under the leadership of President Trump, we will deliver peace through strength and always put the interests of Americans and America above all else. I look forward to earning the support of my colleagues in the U.S. Senate so the President has his national security and foreign policy team in place when he takes office on January 20.
For those clutching the pearls about Trump cutting into the Republican Senate majority, FL Gov. Ron DeSantis will appoint Rubio’s Republican successor should he be confirmed.
